Country profile - United Kingdom

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​​​​Australia has a substantial relationship with the United Kingdom (UK) that is underpinned by a shared heritage, common values, closely aligned strategic outlook and interests. Australia and the UK are frequent and regular dialogue partners at the highest levels across government and are like-minded on pressing global issues, including international security and multilateral cooperation. There are also long-standing trade and investment relations and benefits from extensive people-to-people links.

In 2014 Australia and the UK had similar per capita gross domestic product (GDP) on a purchasing power parity (PPP) basis. UK's GDP grew from 1.7 per cent in 2013 to 2.6 per cent in 2014, accelerating unexpectedly because of greater consumer spending and a recovering housing market.

Employment opportunities in Australia are viewed favourably by UK emigrants. UK emigrants are also likely to be attracted to Australia by the lifestyle, climate, family networks and similarities in culture. Australia is the number one destination for UK emigrants with UK-born people comprising Australia's largest migrant community. The UK is also Australia's second-largest source of visitors.

Popula​tion

At the end of June 2014, 1.22 million UK-born people were living in Australia, 7.4 per cent more than at 30 June 2006. This makes it the largest migrant community in Australia, equivalent to 18.5 per cent of Australia's overseas-born population and 5.2 per cent of Australia's total population.

For Australia's UK-born migrants:

Their median age of 54.4 years was 17.1 years above that of the general population.

Males outnumbered females—51 per cent compared with 49 per cent.

Permanent migration

Australia's permanent Migration Programme incorporates economic and family reunion migration and is the main pathway to permanent residence. The only other way for migrants to obtain permanent residence is to be accepted into Australia on humanitarian grounds. The Migration Programme is based on non-discriminatory principles relating to nationality, gender and religion. People who meet the criteria set out in the
Migration Act 1958 can apply to migrate.

Permanent migration refers to the number of outcomes in any given year, without taking into account whether the visa recipient actually arrived and settled in Australia. Skilled migration focuses on facilitating the permanent entry of those who can make a positive contribution to Australia through their skills, qualifications, entrepreneurial spirit and employment potential. Family migration facilitates the entry of close family members of Australian citizens, permanent residents and eligible New Zealand citizens. The programme is currently dominated by partners and dependent children, but also provides options for other family members, such as Carers, Parents and Aged Dependent Relatives.

The following table shows the size and composition of the skilled and family migration categories from 2011–12 to 2014–15.

Migration category

2011–12

2012–13

2013–14

2014–15

Per cent change on previous year

Per cent change for the period

​Skilled migration (points tested)

Skilled Regional

1,465

310

189

86

-54.5

-94.1

Skilled Independent

2,749

3,440

4,139

3,721

-10.1

35.4

State/Territory Nominated

5,608

2,918

2,319

1,937

-16.5

-65.5

Skilled migration (non-points tested)

Business Innovation and Investment

256

113

50

43

-14.0

-83.2

Distinguished Talent

27

39

36

38

5.6

40.7

Employer Sponsored

9,358

9,196

11,180

10,429

-6.7

11.4

Total: Skilled visa grants

19,463

16,016

17,913

16,254

-9.3

-16.5

Skilled visas as a proportion of all permanent visas (%)

77.0

73.8

77.1

77.1

n/a

n/a

​Family migration

Child

271

195

180

177

-1.7

-34.7

Partner

4,545

4,643

4,339

3,979

-8.3

-12.5

Parent

921

715

705

629

-10.8

-31.7

Other Family

9

89

43

< 5

-97.7

-88.9

Total: Family visa grants

5,746

5,642

5,267

4,786

-9.1

-16.7

Family visas as a proportion of all permanent visas (%)

22.7

26.0

22.7

22.7

n/a

n/a

​Special Eligibility

Special Eligibility

65

53

40

38

-5.0

-41.5

Total: Permanent migrants

25,274

21,711

23,220

21,078

-9.2

-16.6

Temporary mig​​ration

Depending on the purpose and duration of their visit, people can come to Australia on a Visitor visa, or through an other appropriate temporary visa. Temporary visas are designed for specific purposes, for example, study, working holidays or other specialist activities. Temporary residents are required to pay taxes on income earned in Australia and do not normally have access to public welfare and might not have access to public health programmes.

The Student visa programme consists of a range of visa categories that broadly correspond to education sectors. Students must study with an education provider and in a course registered on the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students. The subclass 457 visa programme allows Australian employers to sponsor foreign workers for employment in management, professional, technical and skilled trades' positions. The programme is demand-driven and highly responsive to Australian labour market conditions. Visitor visas are mostly used by people visiting Australia for holidays, recreation, or to see family and friends. People might also use Visitor visas for certain short-term business activities.

The following table shows the size and composition of the Student visa programme, Temporary Work (Skilled) visa (subclass 457) and Visitors from the United Kingdom.

Temporary visa category

2011–12

2012–13

2013–14

2014–15

Per cent change on previous year

Per cent change for the period

​
International Students

English Language Intensive Course for Overseas Students

5

< 5

< 5

9

125.0

80.0

Schools

43

36

22

30

36.4

-30.2

Vocational Education and Training

1,282

1,415

1,554

1,733

11.5

35.2

Higher Education

710

687

658

642

-2.4

-9.6

Postgraduate Research

161

149

132

138

4.5

-14.3

Non-Award

710

905

992

1,267

27.7

78.5

Foreign Affairs or Defence

5

< 5

< 5

< 5

50.0

-40.0

Total: International Student visa grants

2,916

3,197

3,364

3,822

13.6

31.1

Temporary Work (Skilled) visa (subclass 457)

28,733

24,147

16,708

14,729

-11.8

-48.7

Visitors

Tourist

485,065

504,517

510,529

519,875

1.8

7.2

Business visitor

41,882

40,960

38,050

37,947

-0.3

-9.4

Medical Treatment

111

117

84

96

14.3

-13.5

Total: Visitor visa grants

527,058

545,594

548,663

557,918

1.7

5.9

Working Holiday Maker Programme

Initial

35,700

38,782

36,778

36,257

-1.4

1.6

Extension

6,012

7,349

8,430

8,473

0.5

40.9

Total: Working Holiday visa grants

41,712

46,131

45,208

44,730

-1.1

7.2

Main oc​​​​cupations

There are a wide variety of occupations that potential migrants can nominate for, which are acceptable for permanent and temporary skilled migration to Australia. The following table shows the main occupations for UK nationals for Points Tested Skilled Migration outcomes and Temporary Work (Skilled) visa (subclass 457) grants.

Period

Temporary Work
(Skilled) visa
(subclass 457)

No. of migrants

Points Tested Skilled Migration

No. of migrants

​ 2014–15

General practitioners and resident medical officers

782

Registered nurses

313

Advertising and marketing professionals

541

Accountants

174

Human resource professionals

483

Generalist medical practitioners

147

​

Management and organisation analysts

292

Secondary school teachers

138

Advertising, public relations and sales managers

284

Electricians

130

Registered nurses

214

Other medical practitioners

126

University lecturers and tutors

174

Carpenters and joiners

110

Cafe and restaurant managers

170

Software and applications programmers

85​

Carpenters and joiners

1​68

Other engineering professionals

7​3

Call or contact centre and customer service managers

1​61

Dental practitioners

65

​
2013–14

General practitioners and resident medical officers

8​02

Registered nurses

329

Advertising and marketing professionals

525

Accountants

213

​

Human resource professionals

353

Generalist medical practitioners

178

Registered nurses

336

Secondary school teachers

160

Advertising, public relations and sales managers

303

Electricians

123

Management and organisation analysts

2​72

Civil engineering professionals

109

Mechanical engineering draftspersons and technicians

2​63

Carpenters and joiners

99

Accountants

202

Other medical practitioners

95

Call or contact centre and customer service managers

200

Software and applications programmers

94

University lecturers and tutors

191

Dental practitioners

58

​
2012-13

General practitioners and resident medical officers

925

Accountants

243

​

Registered nurses

7​52

Registered nurses

192

Advertising and marketing professionals

615

Secondary school teachers

172

Human resource professionals

545

Generalist medical practitioners

124

Contract, program and project administrators

531

Software and applications programmers

117

Other specialist managers

521

Electricians

116

Mechanical engineering draftspersons and technicians

317

Carpenters and joiners

94

Motor mechanics

317

Other medical practitioners

88

Advertising, public relations and sales managers

31​6

Civil engineering professionals

87

Management and organisation analysts

3​05

ICT business and systems analysts

85

​​
2011–12

​

General practitioners and resident medical officers

878​

Carpenters and joiners

250​

Registered nurses

772​​

Accountants

234

Other specialist managers

751

Registered nurses

226

Human resource professionals

723​

Electricians

223

Civil engineering professionals

619

Software and applications programmers

161

Advertising and marketing professionals

599

Plumbers

136

Contract, program and project administrators

579

Secondary school teachers

134

Geologists, geophysicists and hydrogeologists

415

Bricklayers and stonemasons

125

Management and organisation analysts

387

Metal fitters and machinists

116

Advertising, public relations and sales managers

365​

Hairdressers

112​​

Geographic distribution

The following table shows the geographic distribution of migrants, based on permanent additions, international students, Temporary Work (Skilled) visa (subclass 457) and permanent departures.

Permanent additions are the sum of those granted a permanent residency visa while in Australia, and those granted a visa through an Australian mission abroad, who have entered Australia during the respective reporting period.

Population (%)

NSW

Vic.

Qld

SA

WA

Tas.

NT

ACT

Proportion of all persons counted in the Census - 2011

32

25

20

7

10

2

1

2

Proportion of UK-born counted in the Census - 2011

25

19

19

11

21

2

1

1

​
Permanent additions - 2014–15 (%)

​Skill stream (primary)

24

15

17

8

33

0

2

1

Skill stream (dependent)

17

15

19

9

36

0

2

2

Family stream

31

21

20

5

19

1

1

1

Temporary entrants - 2014–15 (%)

International students

29

26

20

5

17

0

0

2

Temporary Work (Skilled) visa (subclass 457) (primary)

38

20

12

2

24

0

2

1

Permanent departures (%)

All UK-born permanent residents

32

17

21

5

22

1

1

1

Country ranking​

This table uses rankings to show the significance of UK migration for the past four financial years.